Wands and Truth
by PuppetJutsu
Summary: A muggle spies a witch in the woods, observing the trees. A chance meeting grows into something more. But what secrets do they each hold? My OC Harry Potter Story


**A/N:** Hey guys, just wanted to say I've been stuck with my Naruto fics when all of a sudden this idea popped into my head. So I decided to write it for you. Hope you enjoy. I'd appreciate any comments, criticisms or whatever. Peace guys.

--

He watched as she wandered the trees

He watched as she wandered through the trees. She moved so elegantly, her manner so gentle. She was small, delicate. Her skin was pale, her hair dark. He watched as she ran her hand delicately across the trunks of whatever tree took her fancy. Sometimes she would stop and put her ear to the trunk of a tree, as if trying to find its heartbeat. She was enthralling.

As she leaned in to press her ear against a tall pine, the woman spotted the man out of the corner of her eye. Standing up straight, she smiled at him and began to walk towards him.

"Hi," she said.

The man looked at the ground nervously, the smiled shyly. "Hello."

The wind swept past the couple, scattering leaves. "My name eez Bernard," the man said, breaking the silence. He was tall and quite muscular, with short brown hair.

"Selah," the woman replied with a smile.

"An unusual name," Bernard said with a grin, his shyness suddenly absent.

Selah smiled. "An unusual accent, French?"

Bernard laughed and nodded. He looked into the young woman's eyes. "I'm sorry if I was bothering you before. I 'ave seen you 'ere ze last few days."

"Are you spying on me?" Selah asked with a smirk.

Bernard raised his hands in mock defeat. "Guilty."

He lowered his hands and eased them into his pockets. "I 'ave been curious to know what you're doing with ze trees."

Selah smiled and walked over to a tall oak. "I've been looking for the perfect wood."

"Are you and artist or something?"

"Something like that," Selah replied slyly.

They began to walk through the trees. Selah would often stop at one and urge Bernard to put his hand to it.

"Each wood has its own unique qualities. Oak for example is strong and associated with loyalty. Ash is associated with wisdom. I'm looking for the right kind of wood for me."

Bernard looked at Selah curiously. "How will you know if you 'ave found ze right one?"

The young woman giggled. "I'll just know. It will feel right."

"How long do you think it will take to find it?"

"I don't know. I've already been searching for three years."

Bernard looked at Selah curiously. "What exactly are you going to make with zis so-called 'perfect' wood?"

A wry grin grew on Selah's face. "That's my little secret."

The two continued to walk, while Selah explained different kinds of wood. Bernard listened with rapt attention. Hours passed and Bernard had to leave. They promised to meet here again. With that Bernard turned and walked out of the woods. Selah watched him leave, a smile on her face. She had always found muggles to be interesting, but this one was something entirely different. Selah blushed at the thought of it. Bernard was so sweet, so naïve. With a sigh, Selah tuned on the spot and Disapparated from the woods.

-- --

Selah and Bernard continued to meet everyday that week. Each time Selah taught Bernard more and more about woods. She took delight in the fact Bernard was eager to listen to her prattle on about woods and their qualities.

One day as they walked Selah turned to Bernard. "So what's your story? Where are you from? What are you doing?"

Bernard grinned. "Well, zere is not much to tell. I am from a small village in France where I work with my father as a farmer. Zen, one day I decided to travel ze world, so I bought a ticket and left ze next morning."

Selah smiled warmly. "Just like that?"

"Just like zat!" He smiled back at the young woman. "Actually, zere eez another reason I wanted to leave."

Selah looked curiously at Bernard. "Oh? And what was that?"

Bernard's smile was now a sheepish grin. "I am looking for someone."

"Oh, who?" Selah was curious now.

"A woman."

"A woman?"

"Yes," Bernard laughed. "Although I 'ave never met her before."

"So who is she?"

Bernard smiled his sheepish grin again. "I don't know. But when I meet her, it will feel right. Just like your tree."

-- --

"If you 'ad to pick a personal favourite wood, what would it be?" Bernard asked one day as they sat against a tall oak. It was a bitterly cold day. Selah was wearing a large grey coat, while Bernard wore a similar brown coat.

Selah stopped to think about it. "If I had to choose one…I'd have to say Ash."

Bernard chuckled. "Really? Zat sounds kind of dull."

"Not at all," Selah said defensively. "It's said that Ash is the father of all trees, and that protective spirits reside within the Ash, allowing it to absorb sickness. Or Alder. It's said that Alder can allow the user to control the four winds."

Bernard gave Selah a curious look, one that she had grown used to.

"You don't really believe zat stuff do you?" Bernard asked, a half-amused look on his face.

Selah leant in closer to Bernard, her eyes never leaving his. "Maybe I do." She put her lips to his ear and whispered, "Maybe I'm a witch?"

"Really?" Bernard whispered back.

Their lips drew closer into a tender kiss. Selah could feel Bernard's hand running through her hair. Her senses were on fire. She felt as though she couldn't move.

"I'm sorry."

He had broken the kiss so suddenly. He cupped her cheek in his right hand, then lowered his hand and stood up. Suddenly Selah was aware that she couldn't move.

She looked at Bernard, bewildered and furious. Suddenly he began to change right in front of her eyes. His hair which was brown and short was now growing into an unkempt mop of black knots. Where before he was muscular, Bernard was now thin and wiry. His eyes changed from a warm hazel to a cold blue.

Selah could only glare in contempt at the man before her. "A metamorphmagus?"

Bernard returned Selah's glare. "Got it in one." His French accent was now gone.

"Who are you?"

The man crouched down in front of her, turning his head to spit. "I'm the man who's been chasing you halfway around the world. Ever since the demise of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, you've been mysteriously absent. Selah Greybark; a follower of the former Dark Lord; if I'm not mistaken, you were one of Voldemort's protégé wand makers, were you not?"

Selah's eye narrowed. "Done your homework I see."

The man simply chuckled; a sarcastic, patronising chuckle. "I'm an Auror under the Ministry of Magic. I wouldn't come after you if I didn't know anything about you. Mr. Potter only sends out the best you know."

"Potter," Selah spat. "So does Potter's dog have a name?"

"Dorian, Dorian Teel."

"Never heard of you."

"I doubt you would have," Dorian scoffed. "Post war Auror. You're my lucky number one."

Selah smiled. "So they sent a rookie out for me, did they? Cheeky buggers."

"Just out to clean up the Death Eater scraps."

With another smile, Selah suddenly jumped backwards. "It seems you're not the only one who can use non-verbal spells, Auror." She reached into her coat and pulled out a wand. "Alder; six and a half inches; Dragon heartstring core; springy. Now I can give you a real demonstration on woods and their qualities." With an upwards sweeping motion of Selah's wand, Dorian was hit hard by a sharp gust of wind. As the young witch cast her spell, Dorian was pummelled from all sides by gust of wind, feeling more akin to brick walls than summer breezes.

Struggling to reach into his own shirt, Dorian eventually pulled his own wand from inside his shirt. With a wave of his hand, a powerful blue bolt of energy flew towards Selah. She jumped aside to avoid it, breaking her wind spell and allowing Dorian a crucial few seconds to recover. He began firing multiple disarming spells at her with astonishing speed. Selah formed a shield to block them, but was surprised by the strength of his spells. His use of non-verbal spells was impressive; he could not only cast strong spells, but he could cast them at an impressive speed.

Selah remained determined. With a shout of, "_Crucio,_" she fired several curses at the Auror. Dorian swiftly blocked the curses with his wand. As he pointed his wand to return fire, Selah shot one more Cruciatus at him. Unable to move quickly enough to block, the curse hit Dorian in the left thigh. With a scream of pain, he dropped to the ground.

With a sneer, Selah began to walk towards the fallen Auror. She pointed towards Dorian's wand and said, "_Accio wand_." The wand flew towards her and she caught it neatly in her hand. With her own wand still trained on Dorian, she began to inspect the Auror's wand.

She raised her eyebrow in surprise. "Well, well. Ebony; seven inches; flexible." She pointed the wand to its master and performed another Cruciatus curse. The fallen Dorian could only scream in pain. "I'd have to say a Phoenix tail feather core. Very nice, very nice indeed."

She knelt down to look Dorian in the face. "This is a powerful wand, Auror. Dark and strong; not something I'd expect to see in the ministry. You intrigue me. I want to know more about this wand…this wand and its relationship with you."

Dorian struggled to roll onto his back. Gasping for air, he laughed weakly. "You know…when I bought that wand, I was told the same thing. Mr. Ollivander said that it was curious, a wand like this reacting to someone like me. But after coming to know the wand, as well as myself, I knew what path to take. To rid the world of scum, like you and all the other dark wizards and witches in the world. That wand is my way of serving justice, and I'll be damned if I let a Death Eater bitch like you have anything to do with it.

In one swift move, the fallen Auror kicked the back of Selah's knees. With a cry of surprise, the witch fell to the ground. She felt something hit the side of her head, and amidst the pain and confusion, dropped both wands.

Dorian seized the chance he'd created with his kick to Selah's temple. He sprang forward, grabbing his wand and pointing it. With a yell of, "_Reducto__,_" the Alder wand blew apart in a shower of splinters and ashes.

As he turned back to face Selah, he saw her reaching into her coat. As he shot a disarming spell, Selah had pulled two wands out. In one fluid motion she blocked the disarming spell with one wand, and shot a curse of her own. Dorian barely managed to dodge it.

Dorian began to laugh. "Had to expect it, really, you being a wand maker and all."

Selah smiled but remained silent.

"So tell me," Dorian continued, "how well can you use those two? As far as I was aware, wizards could only have one wand that would work effectively."

"Normally yes," Selah replied, "but in this case it's a little different. I make all of my wands myself, after years of researching and looking for the right materials. I know how to make a good wand for myself. Why to you think the Dark Lord had an interest in me?"

Dorian smirked. "So tell me – "

"Cypress; seven inches; dragon heartstring; inflexible. The other one, Walnut; six inches; Unicorn hair; swishy.

The Auror smiled. "Very nice."

A flicker appeared in Selah's eyes. "You have no idea…" Suddenly, she began firing curses, as quickly as she could. Dorian cast a shield barrier to withhold the barrage. A sudden crack to his right alerted the Auror. He spun around in time to block a curse from Selah, who had Apparated next to him. He reached out to grab her wands and aim them away. As he did, Selah began wildly firing curses. A stray curse cut into Dorian's shoulder and cheek.

With a kick, Selah broke free of Dorian's grip. The two began a frantic duel, firing and defending curses ferociously at on another. Soon the two began to falter. Dorian gripped his sides which were aching insistently; the result of the several Cruciatus curses. Selah noticed her vision was growing fuzzy and she was becoming dizzy; the result of a boot to the head.

Dorian began to weave his wand through the air in a complicated patter, muttering an incantation under his breath. A thick mist began to roll in. The entirety of the woods was engulfed by the thick fog. Deciding he only had one chance, Dorian Apparated. Selah franticly searched around her, trying to find her opponent, only to be greeted by dense white mist at every angle. Suddenly, a blue bolt flashed through the mist, catching Selah in the middle of the chest. She dropped heavily to the ground, struggling to breath, pain wrecking through her body. An exhausted Dorian limped towards his fallen opponent. Taking her wands, he opened her coat to search her, only to stop and laugh to himself as the mist lifted.

"Well I'll be damned. You are good."

Lined on the inside of Selah's coat were twenty pockets, each filled with a different wand – minus the three lost during the duel. Dorian removed each wand, then pointed his own at Selah's hands and feet, binding them with a black rope. He then reached into his own coat and removed a silver pocket watch. Selah watched as he muttered a spell, then grabbed on to Selah. She looked at him curiously and raised an eyebrow.

"Portkey," was the only thing Dorian muttered before they were both lifted into the air and back to the Ministry of Magic.

-- --

Dorian Teel stood, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. He was waiting to hear the verdict on Selah. The door slowly opened and a dark-haired man with glasses walked though. Dorian stood up straight and gave an asking look.

"Azkaban; six years, maybe less depending on her behaviour."

Dorian nodded; his expression stern.

The man walked over and put his hand on Dorian's shoulder. "You did well." With that, he turned to leave the room.

"Harry."

Harry stopped and turned.

"Can I see her…before she's taken away?"

"Sure, go ahead."

As Harry left the room, Dorian followed him out. He walked to the holding room where Selah was being kept. As he entered, she looked at him with bloodshot eyes. She had been crying.

"So I guess I won't be seeing you for a while." Her voice was fail, weak.

"No, you won't be." His voice was stern, cold.

She stood up and walked over to him. "I…I'm sorry we couldn't have met under different circumstances."

He tried to look her in the eye, but he couldn't. He couldn't bear it. She leant in closer to him.

"I know what my next wand will be made from: Ebony, the only wand to defeat me."

Dorian lowered his head. "It's not always the wand."

Ducking under his lowered head with a weak smile, she found his lips with her own. They shared their last kiss, savoured it with passion. She smiled weakly as he looked back at her from the door.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

As he left the room, he made his way quickly to the bathroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he began to change his appearance. He couldn't bear to look at himself, not his true self.

"Goodbye…"


End file.
